Step1
Squinting:
When we squint our eyes, subject matter becomes simplified and meaningless detail becomes reduced and even eliminated.
The reason a landscape painter squints when preparing to reduce miles of area to a few square feet, is to identify important masses. The forest will be seen, instead of the leaves; the meadows instead of the grasses. The artist can address more bold, more simplified interpretation.
Step2
Scanning:
The human eye perceives with a limited depth of field perception. The eye cannot keep the foreground, middle ground and background in focus at the same instant. Unlike a camera which can record extensive depth and breath of field, the human eye scans and moves its focus from one area or plane of visual interest to another in quick time-lapse fashion.
TV and motion picture producers acknowledge and accommodate by employing sophisticated motion picture techniques which simulate our visual experience. The camera does the scanning for you.
When painting, however, you should dismiss the idea of painting all areas of the picture in critical focus.
Determine which area of the painting presents the greatest visual interest and then subordinate the rest of the scene. This technique allows the introduction of a heretofore unmentioned fourth dimension in creativity, the element of time.
The painter must theme the work from the beginning and then enlarge upon and refine that theme as the work progresses. The viewer, whose eyes are no different than the your own, will scan your work in time-lapse fashion and give you the opportunity for sequential picture development.
A good painting should have initial impact, but deserves more thorough examination if its nuances and sub-plots are to be appreciated.
It is important that these additional areas of attention be well patterned and compositionally appropriate in support of the main statement of your work.
Having established that the human eye scans and moves its focus from one area of interest to another, it is only at those periods of focus that the eye concentrates on detail. Hence, detailing is a fundamental technique in getting the viewer to follow your chosen pathway of visual progression – to interpret the subject matter through your eyes.
Some artist’s, self included, feel that a little detail goes a long way. Others pride themselves in detailing every square inch of their paintings. While this style is termed “super realism” it goes beyond how the eyes perceives. It requires exquisite balancing to avoid visual overkill and if successful proves fascinating to those who are enamored of meticulous craftsmanship. Different strokes for different folks.
Step3
Seeing the light:
The phrase, “light reveals, shadow conceals” is only half right. In general, soft diffused light reveals detail, form and color throughout the composition as sharp cast shadows are absent, and the values (tones, hues) of each component prevails without accentuation or subordination effected by strong, direct lighting.
If you allow your eye to gravitate toward the light, then detail, structure and color will be discernible in the brightly lit areas and the shadows will read as darkened voids. This abstractly stimulating pattern is the basis of a good painting.
You may choose, however, to peer into the dark areas, allow your pupils to dilate, and then discover intriguing color, detail and form within the dense shadows. Now the circumstances are reversed and “shadow reveals and light bleaches out.” In the bleached areas, edges will break down, and color and form will fuse. This is also the basis of a good painting. The problem is that you can’t have it both ways.
Neither the human eye nor the camera can investigate light and shadow at the same time without compromising the total lighting effect.
The artist must understand the artistic options of lighting variations and make choices.
Isn’t it time to pick up your brush and enjoy depicting transient moments of spontaneous beauty?
"Home in Xian" w/c by Janice Edelman
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